


It’s Just One Thing

by RiotFalling



Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Aggressive amounts of fluff, Bucky Barnes Bingo Fluffathon Event, Fluff, M/M, Sharing Clothes, Vague non-powered AU, and they were neighbors, just lost of sharing, sharing food
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-01
Updated: 2020-02-29
Packaged: 2021-02-28 09:01:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 6,408
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22967401
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RiotFalling/pseuds/RiotFalling
Summary: Bucky has a crush on the cute neighbor. Tony has locked himself out of the building in the middle of a rainstorm. Bucky plays the hero, Tony pays for dinner, and aggressive amounts of fluff ensue.
Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes/Tony Stark
Comments: 43
Kudos: 317
Collections: BBB Special Events





	1. Things You Find on Your Doorstep

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the Bucky Barnes Bingo Fluffathon event! One chapter for each day of fluff prompts.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: Rain, Red

Bucky doesn’t mind the late shift, except on nights like this, when he’s walking home in the pouring rain and it’s the middle of the night and there’s not a cab in sight. His umbrella has seen better days, and somehow keeps dumping cold water directly down the back of his neck. All he wants to do is take a warm shower, maybe eat some cold leftovers, and then curl up under his blankets to prepare himself to do it all again tomorrow. All of his thoughts come to a screeching halt when he rounds the corner, finally insight of his building, and spots a curled-up figure sitting on the steps. Bucky really hopes that’s just one of the neighbors, because he does not have the energy to fight off a desperate junkie right now, he really doesn’t. 

As he gets a little closer he realizes it is, in fact, one of his neighbors. It’s _Tony,_ the cute neighbor, not that Bucky would ever say that out loud. Tony who lives two doors down and keeps even weirder hours than Bucky does, who has big brown eyes and soft-looking brown hair and that bright smile. Who sometimes has screaming matches with someone who can only be his father over the phone loudly enough for the entire floor to hear. Who loaned Bucky a couple old trashy sci-fi books that Bucky is still rereading, who usually looks sleep-deprived and often has smears of grease across his face but also cleans up _so damn pretty._

Right now, Tony looks a bit like a drowned rat. He’s even shaking a little, curled down around his knees, his hair plastered to his forehead. He doesn’t look up when Bucky stops at the bottom of the stairs, and when Bucky awkwardly clears his throat he sits bolt upright.

“Lock yourself out?” Bucky finally unsticks his tongue to ask after a couple seconds of them just staring at each other.

“Uh, yeah,” Tony says, nodding jerkily and shivering harder, “left my keys in the workshop and _it_ locked behind me, didn’t realize until I got _here,_ so I’ve just kind of been... chillin’.”

Tony shivers again, and before he can even think about it Bucky gives his umbrella a little wiggle, rolls his eyes and says “Come here.”

He’d kind of intended for Tony to just join him under the umbrella while he digs out his keys, but within seconds Tony has jumped to his feet and plastered himself to Bucky’s chest, wet hair sticking to Bucky’s chin and his arms around Bucky’s waist.

“Oh god you’re so warm,” Tony groans happily and Bucky is glad that at least Tony can’t see his face, because he’s pretty sure it’s gone _bright red._ “You’re my hero,” Tony continues and somehow he seems to have not noticed that Bucky’s heart is racing. “It’s going to be so much better sitting in the hallway all night instead. Dry. Warm. No chance of being washed away down the storm drain.”

Bucky huffs out a soft laugh and starts digging out his keys, shuffling them up the steps in awkward little steps. Not letting himself think has worked out pretty well so far, so Bucky decides to stick with it and blurts “I have a couch, ya know. Might even have some clothes that’ll fit you.”

Tony hugs him tighter and makes some more happy noises, which Bucky is going to assume is Tony taking him up on his offer. When Bucky starts nudging him with the umbrella, needing both hands to get the door open, Tony looks up enough to take it and there’s a red flush across his cheeks, too.


	2. Things You Would Commit Crime For

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: Ordering In

Bucky has a problem. It’s almost one in the morning, it’s raining so hard that the lights have already flickered threateningly twice, and Tony is on his couch, in his clothes, under a pile of blankets and making happy noises. Bucky did not think this through _at all._

“Have I mentioned that you’re my hero?” Tony asks, staring up at him with those big brown doe eyes, his hair starting to fluff up wildly as it dries.

“Only every thirty seconds,” Bucky says with a huff of laughter, dragging his eyes away from the way his shirt is starting to slip down Tony’s shoulder.

Tony hums thoughtfully, wiggling one hand free from his blanket pile so he can tap at his chin and everything, then cheekily decides, “Not often enough.” He sits himself a little more upright, opens his mouth, and then gets cut off by the way his stomach rumbles loudly. “Eep,” Tony says, face flushing, arms wrapping around his stomach and smiling sheepishly. “Don’t mind that, I just... may have forgotten dinner. You know how it is, when you get into that building mode.”

Bucky does not, but he nods anyways and finally stops moving anxiously around the livingroom picking things up to try and make the place a little less of a disaster. He considers if he has anything in his kitchen fit to serve another person, then winces and ducks his chin a little as he admits “I don’t... think I have much here.” 

Tony is clearly trying not to look disappointed, but his big woodland creature eyes totally give him away and Bucky is seconds away from offering to go rob the asshole on the first floor who’s always making the entire building smell like barbecue. Before Bucky can actually start planning the great brisket robbery Tony perks up again and says “I have my wallet!”

Bucky stares at him. “I don’t- are you trying to bribe me? That’s not going to make food magically appear. Unless you’re going to pay my bail.”

 _“What?”_ Tony sputters out around a laugh, “no, what are you even- I _mean_ I can order us some food, you lunatic, stop thinking about robbing the neighbors for their leftovers or whatever.”

“Fine,” Bucky says with a heavy sigh, dropping onto the couch beside Tony and grinning because Tony had been surprisingly close with his guess. It makes Bucky’s stupid heart go all soft and wobbly, and he grasps desperately for something to say. “‘S your phone dead from your light drowning?”

“My phone is in my apartment,” Tony says happily, wiggling a little further out of his blanket cocoon and also wiggling Bucky’s old T-shirt a little further down his shoulder. “Turned out to be a good thing I forgot it this morning, at least it wasn’t with me in the monsoon.”

“Always lookin’ on the bright side,” Bucky says, blinking a couple times before finally dragging his eyes away to dig around in his pocket and hand over his own phone.

Tony orders them two large pizzas while Bucky drags the coffee table closer, and once he hangs up, Tony turns to him with a very serious expression. “Okay,” he says, “I want to see your favorite movie. I remember you told me you have terrible taste in movies, and I want to see it for myself.”

“Your funeral,” Bucky says with a shrug and a wide grin, mostly because he can’t believe Tony remembers that. And partially because oh, Tony has no idea what he’s getting into.

It takes him until the food actually arrives to pick the perfect movie to torture Tony with. He finally settles on _Tammy and the T-Rex_ and slips it into the DVD player while Tony is busy answering the door. Bucky is smirking so widely as they get settled in that Tony keeps shooting him suspicious looks, and Bucky just grins wider as he grabs a slice of pizza.

 _“What the fuck?!”_ Tony shrieks the second the title shows up on screen, and Bucky laughs so hard he almost slides off the couch.


	3. Things That Keep You Warm

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: More, Mine

“Tony,” Bucky says quietly, peeking down at him and wiggling his shoulder a little where Tony is leaning heavily against him, hoping to get his attention without actually dislodging him. “Tony, you’re missing the end of the movie. Don’t you want to know what happens?”

Tony makes a sleepy, grumbly noise that’s way more adorable than it has any right to be, and smashes his face a little harder into Bucky's shoulder. “I _don’t_ wantto know how it ends,” he grumbles, “I’m going to have _nightmares._ Why would you want to make that any worse.”

“You just don’t appreciate good cinema, Bucky says with a sniff and grins when Tony lets out a reluctant huff of laughter, his breath warm through Bucky’s shirt.

“Sure, if that’s what you want to call it,” Tony says and Bucky can practically _hear_ the eyeroll that goes with it. Tony turns a little further into Bucky’s side, folding his legs up into Bucky’s lap and settling in even as he asks “is there more pizza?”

“There is not,” Bucky says, shooting a look at the empty boxes on the coffee table, because it’s _way easier_ than focusing on all the borderline-cuddling, “you ate most of it by yourself. I want t’ be mad, but honestly I’m jus’ too impressed.”

“Well I _did_ pay for it,” Tony says, shamelessly, and it really is too bad he doesn’t glance up to appreciate the unimpressed look Bucky is trying to level at him.

“I’m letting you sleep on my couch,” Bucky points out, though that was true even before Tony ordered them food. He _doesn’t_ point out that Tony is more on _him_ than on the couch at this point, and oh would you look at that, Bucky’s arm is wrapped around Tony’s shoulders in return, and Bucky really can’t find it in himself to pull away.

“That you are,” Tony agrees happily and slings one arm around Bucky’s middle, snuggling into his side like Bucky is an oversized stuffed animal, his hair tickling at Bucky’s chin and his breath warm again Bucky’s throat. “And for that, I owe you my life. Please take good care of it.”

“Oh hell no,” Bucky says with a laugh, hesitantly dragging his hand down Tony’s side and getting a little bolder when Tony somehow melts against him even more. “I’ve seen you stumblin’ around yelling math at people when you don’t get your caffeine. _Way_ too much responsibility for me.”

Tony shifts enough to finally look up at him with a pout, even though the effect is kind of ruined by the fact that he still looks on the edge of falling asleep, his eyes half lidded. Bucky's chest gives a dangerous clench. 

“Unfair,” Tony says, and Bucky was right to be suspicious of the hint of teasing lurking behind Tony’s expression, because the next thing he says is “I totally saw you almost fall down the stairs because you were arguing with that bird that one time, and _I_ still like _you.”_

“I can’t believe you _saw_ that,” Bucky groans miserably, and has to fight down his smile when he feels Tony shaking with laughter against him. “That bird totally had it coming, for the record,” he adds, because talking shit about asshole pigeons is definitely the safer option here. Asking Tony if he _means it_ while they’re both half asleep maybe isn’t the best plan. That’s probably a morning type question. Assuming Bucky even remembers this. And doesn’t chicken out.

“I’m sure he did,” Tony says, patting at his stomach and dropping his head to Bucky’s shoulder again with a yawn.

The end credits have finished rolling and looped back to the DVD menu, Tony is heavy against him, and that’s probably the sign Bucky should kick himself out of Tony’s temporary bed and go get in his own instead. No matter how reluctant he is to lose the warmth of Tony against him. 

“Okay, time for bed,” Bucky says, leaning forward just enough to grab the remote and get everything turned off. Once the room has been plunged into darkness, Tony still doesn’t move, and Bucky wonders if he should just... tip him the other direction. There’s still plenty of space that way considering they’re crowded up against one of the arms of the couch, but that still seems rude. Finally he settles for gently pointing out “Tony, you have t’move so I can get up.”

Tony makes an unhappy whining sound, tightening his arm around Bucky and pressing his face deeper into the curve of Bucky's neck. Bucky fights down a smile, gives him a little nudge, and Tony clings tighter, finally grumbling out “mine.”

“We’re not both going to fit on this couch,” Bucky points out, as reasonably as he can considering the way his heart is trying to jump up into his throat. When Tony just makes another slurred noise of complaint, fingers tangling into the fabric of Bucky’s shirt, Bucky decides maybe it’s time to take another whack at that ‘not thinking’ thing. And he certainly knows what he _wants_ to do. So he turns sideways, gets his arms looped securely around Tony, and then stands up.

“Wha?” Tony asks, still not lifting his head even as he shifts to wrap his arms around Bucky's shoulders instead.

“Bed time,” Bucky says again, then easily carries Tony into his room and tumbles them both into bed with a creak of the old frame.

Bucky has no idea what he’s doing, but Tony makes another little happy sighing noise that makes Bucky’s chest warm, wiggles until he’s sprawled out basically entirely on top of Bucky, and then falls immediately asleep. Bucky isn’t far behind, and he lets his eyes fall closed figuring well, if this turns out to be a terrible idea, he can deal with it in the morning.


	4. Things You Wake Up To

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: Admire, After

Bucky wakes up to the sound of rain still pouring down outside, and Tony still sprawled out across his chest. He has no idea what time it is, the room is still dark like it’s early morning but that could just as easily be the rain. Bucky certainly still _feels_ exhausted, but that’s what he gets for staying up until the crack of dawn with the cute neighbor boy.

The cute neighbor boy who, when Bucky glances down at him, appears to be drooling on his chest ever so slightly, and Bucky really is in trouble because he doesn’t even _mind._ He just thinks it’s _adorable._ There’s just enough light for him to make out the fan of Tony’s eyelashes across his cheeks, long and dark, the faint freckles across the bridge of his nose that Bucky’s never noticed before now. Tony is never this still when he’s awake, he’s always in motion, always talking, and as much as Bucky likes listening to him talk (whether he understands a word of it or not), this is something else altogether. Tony in motion is a force of nature, truly something to behold, but Tony _still_ is breathtaking and Bucky tries his best to file away every little detail, just in case he never gets this chance again. At least he’ll always know the freckles across Tony’s left cheek nearly form the shape of the Little Dipper.

Bucky isn’t sure how long he just lays there staring, but it’s long enough that Tony starts twitching his way awake. It starts with his fingers tapping against Bucky’s shoulder, his nose wrinkling adorably as he clearly tries to _will_ himself back to sleep, and then, finally, his eyelids flutter open. His gaze moves around the room quickly and then settles on Bucky, and the smile that spreads across his face is small but no less heart-stopping.

“Go back to sleep,” Tony grumbles, voice rough and soft in the quiet of the room, and his smile doesn’t waiver even as he narrows his eyes. “Why are you awake, it can’t _possibly_ be time to wake up now.”

“Oh, you know that for sure?” Bucky can’t help teasing, tightening the arm he must have slung around Tony’s back at some point, holding him just a little closer.

“Very sure,” Tony says happily, turning his head to smash his face more firmly into Bucky’s chest. “My internal clock is perfect, and it says we should definitely still be sleeping.”

Bucky can't help a soft huff of laughter, because he knows for a _fact_ that’s not true. “I’ve seen you eatin’ cereal and wishin’ people ‘good morning’ at ten at night,” he points out, hesitating only a little before allowing himself to drag one palm up the deceptively strong line of Tony’s back to play with the fluffy curls at the base of Tony’s skull.

Tony turns back just enough to shoot Bucky a betrayed look, pressing the back of his head a little more firmly into Bucky’s palm in the process, and says “extenuating circumstances. I had spent three days in a programming hole, time had become irrelevant. And cereal is a wonderful all-times meal.”

“Sure,” Bucky says easily, and smiles a wider when Tony fixes him and an unimpressed look. He pushes his fingers a little harder though Tony’s hair, watches the way Tony’s eyes fall half-closed again. Bucky opens his mouth, no idea what he plans to say, and then cuts off as he hears the soft but unmistakable sound of his alarm going off in the living room, where he must have left his phone last night. They let out nearly simultaneous groans of complaint, and then Bucky sighs out “okay, time t’ get up.”

_“No,”_ Tony whines, burying his face in Bucky’s chest again and clinging tighter to his shirt. “I refuse. You can’t make me.”

“You don’t have _anythin’_ to do today?” Bucky asks skeptically, and there’s an incredibly telling silence from Tony. After a second Bucky smugly adds “‘s what I thought. Plus, I have t’ work.”

Tony props his chin up on Bucky’s chest, to better pout at him, and otherwise doesn't move. Bucky pinches his ear, then laughs and pets his hair again instead when Tony gives an offended squawk. “Fine, but what are you doing _after?”_ Tony asks, sighing heavily and rolling his eyes like getting out of Bucky’s bed is the most inconvenient thing that’s ever happened to him. 

“After work?” Bucky repeats dumbly, and tells himself Tony’s grin _isn’t_ getting wider because he can totally feel the way Bucky’s heart just started going double time. “At midnight, you mean? Comin’ home, why?”

“Because it’s time for payback, and I’m gonna make you watch _my_ favorite movie,” Tony says, and Bucky should probably be worried about the evil smirk spreading across Tony’s face, but he’s too busy smiling back helplessly and convincing himself _not_ to trace his thumb along the dark circles below Tony’s eyes, over the shadows cast by his insane lower lashes.

“Okay,” Bucky says softly, scratches his nails lightly against Tony’s scalp instead and grins when Tony practically _purrs,_ “after work.”


	5. Things You Would Stand in the Rain For

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: Never, Nuzzle

The rain is still pouring down in cold sheets when they leave the apartment building. Bucky’s poor, worn down umbrella isn’t really big enough for the both of them, but Bucky wouldn’t dream of complaining because it means Tony spends most of the walk plastered to his side.

“What do you mean you don’t eat breakfast?” Bucky asks, shooting Tony a sideways look.

“I mean I never eat breakfast,” Tony repeats with a careless shrug, “I don’t know, I feel like it slows me down. I drink a lot of coffee, does that count?”

“That does not count,” Bucky tells him with a sad shake of his head, and no wonder Tony is so scrawny. It’s probably a wonder he ever remembers to eat at all, the way his brain is always going a million miles an hour. Bucky should bring him breakfast sometimes. Ideally in bed.

“Says you, but I’ll have you know that- ack!” Tony cuts himself off with a loud squawk as he once again gets distracted, starts talking with his hands, and wanders just far enough from the umbrella to get doused in icy water. Again. 

He quickly re-plasters himself against Bucky’s side, shaking out his wet hair and Bucky doesn’t even mind the spray of cold water across his face. He should probably admit to himself that his tiny little crush on the cute neighbor is officially out of control, probably sometime soon. And then maybe even _do_ something about it.

“Plus,” Tony picks back up as if he hadn’t just interrupted his own thought, “how am I supposed to eat when every morning whoever it is that lives below me decides to boil cabbage? How am I supposed to _eat_ in that situation, I ask you?”

Bucky’s nose wrinkles and yeah, he can’t really argue with that. “Every morning?”

“Every. Morning.” Tony says gravely, and then freezes in place, forcing Bucky to stop as well or let Tony get soaked. “You didn’t eat this morning,” Tony says, blinking at him dumbly, as if they hadn’t spent _maybe_ ten minutes apart the whole morning.

“Very observant,” Bucky says with a grin, and doesn’t mention that it’s mostly because he skipped shopping last night and doesn’t actually _have_ anything for breakfast right now.

“I must fix this,” Tony declares, and before Bucky can protest he’s being dragged off the sidewalk and into one of the many coffee shops lining the street instead.

The place is surprisingly crowded considering it’s early afternoon, and Bucky gets dirty looks as he folds up his umbrella, no matter how hard he tries not to splash random bystanders. Luckily the actual line isn’t that long, once they manage to locate it, and Tony stays all up in his space even though it’s not quite _that_ crowded.

Bucky certainly isn’t going to complain, just grins over Tony’s head at the menu board as he asks “Let me guess, you want somethin’ the size of your head and strong enough t’ kill a bear?”

Tony hums happily, presses his cold nose a little harder into the curve of Bucky’s throat. “Plus whatever you want. And a breakfast something for you. And I’m paying.”

“You already bought dinner,” Bucky points out, smiling wider because he can _feel_ Tony’s lips moving against his neck, the flutter of Tony’s eyelashes against his skin.

“And I’m buying breakfast, too,” Tony insists, full-on nuzzling at Bucky’s throat now. Bucky’s not sure when Tony’s hands ended up in the pockets of his jacket, but apparently they’re there now because Tony gives a little tug, shifting Bucky’s jacket against his shoulders as he adds “I will accept no arguments, and I _will_ fight you.”

Bucky snorts and says “I’ll jus’ throw you.” He laughs a little harder when Tony gasps in loud offense without actually lifting his head, and he’s pretty sure the woman in front of them is also shaking slightly with suppressed laughter.

Tony stays clinging to him as Bucky orders two large, strong coffees and a questionable looking breakfast sandwich, and Tony doesn’t even look up as he slaps his wallet into Bucky’s hand. He finally lets go once their coffee is ready, and Bucky misses the warmth of him immensely as they step back out in the rain. Tony offers to carry the umbrella, so Bucky can eat as they walk, but he can’t stop talking with his hands and after the third time Tony nearly gets them both soaked through Bucky has to do _something._

“Would you-“ Bucky tries, ducking a little as Tony swings his hands to make a point and if his hands weren’t full he’d just steal the umbrella back. As it is he has a mostly full cup of coffee, and half eaten sandwich, and a shoulder that’s getting steadily colder and colder the more Tony bobs the umbrella around. “ _Tony,_ stop- Doll, please just-“ 

Bucky finally gives up, crowds Tony into a doorway where they’re at least slightly covered and firmly ignores the accidental petname-slip in favor of saying “take this coffee, give _me_ the umbrella- there.” Once Tony has both their cups in his hands and Bucky has control of the umbrella again, breakfast sandwich in his free hand, he gives a satisfied nod and they start walking again. 

“Don’t drink my coffee,” Bucky adds around a mouthful of food, shooting Tony a suspicious look, “I’m watching you, I know how you are.”

“I would never steal another man’s coffee, Tony says seriously, and then raises Bucky’s cup to his lips and takes a loud, obnoxious sip.

“You monster, how could you,” Bucky says flatly, and Tony laughs his ass off right up until Bucky pretends he’s going to steal the umbrella all for himself. “Give me back my coffee, you can’t be trusted.”

Tony pouts but hands over his cup, carefully juggling his own to take the remainder of the sandwich when Bucky hands it to him, and then they continue on their way. Bucky can’t help smirking victoriously to himself when Tony starts absently eating the sandwich between rambling explanations of what he’s supposed to be working on today and debates about who has the nosiest asshole living above them.

“Well, this is my stop,” Tony eventually says with a little grin, coming to a stop and jerking a thumb over his shoulder in the direction of campus.

The rain isn’t letting up at all, and Bucky glances down at his watch. He isn’t actually sure _where_ the lab Tony uses is on the giant, sprawling campus, but he knows he doesn’t have time to walk Tony there. No matter how much he wants to. “Here, at least take this,” Bucky says, offering him the umbrella.

“Nope,” Tony says with a smile, pushing Bucky’s hand back towards him, “I’m terrible with umbrellas, you’ve seen this. I’m just going to run anyways, burn off some of this caffeine I just inhaled.” Tony smiles wider, takes another big gulp of his coffee, and then almost seems to hesitate before asking “I’ll... see you later?”

“Nope, I’m gonna be invisible,” Bucky says with a small grin, “but you can still come by and steal my DVD player I suppose. I promise I’ll _totally_ be watchin’ whatever monstrosity you put on.”

Tony huffs and rolls his eyes, then gives Bucky one last wide smile and turns to run off into the rain. Bucky stands on the corner watching until Tony is just a blur among the grayed out streets, and he’s almost late to work but it’s totally worth it. He can feel the ghost of Tony’s breath against his throat all day.


	6. Things That Get You Through the Day

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: Cutie, Chocolate

Bucky has a pretty terrible day at work. The rain has made just about everyone cranky, doubly so for the customers. He gets bitched at by his boss, the lazy assholes he works with, and every other person he talks too, and by the time his lunch break rolls around he’s about ready to bite someone’s head off himself. 

The only consolation is that at least the rain is finally letting up, now more of a light drizzle than anything, and maybe it’ll even be done by the time he has to walk home. And he has a new text from Tony. He had almost forgotten about scribbling his number on a scrap of paper and shoving it into Tony’s pocket before they left his apartment earlier. There’s no way the text is from anyone else, though, and Bucky feels an actual smile spread across his face for the first time in _hours._

_‘Finally made it back into my own apartment! This is why I’m not allowed to have a pet. At least I didn’t leave the oven on or anything. This time.’_

Bucky grins wider, shakes his head a little and suddenly doesn’t mind that his lunch is a bland vending machine sandwich. _‘I find the phrase “this time” highly disturbing. What have you done.’_

_‘Don’t worry about it’_ Tony texts him back almost instantly. _‘More importantly, I see you survived your swim to work.’_

_‘I did not. I’m texting you now from my watery grave’_ Bucky replies and likes to imagine he can actually see Tony’s smile. _‘But the nice old lady who comes by every Thursday called me a cutie and gave me a cough drop, so hey that’s something’_

_‘You ARE a cutie’_ Tony replies, and then while Bucky is still choking on his bite of food adds _‘gotta go help Ms Richmond set up her new computer, she’s paying me in leftover spaghetti. If you’re lucky I might even save you some. Don’t forget about tonight, see you when you get home!’_

_‘I won’t forget’_ Bucky promises, glad that Tony can’t see the flush on his face or his wide, dopey grin.

He gets home to find Tony sitting on his doorstep again. At least it’s the door to Bucky’s actual apartment, and Tony isn’t sitting outside the building in the cold. He’s back in his own clothes, rather than the ones he borrowed from Bucky, his hair slightly more tamed, still so damn gorgeous.

“People are gonna start thinking you’re a stray who followed me home,” Bucky says in greeting, trying and failing to fight down his smile. 

“I basically am,” Tony says happily, hopping to his feet. For a split second Bucky thinks Tony is going to throw himself at Bucky, or at the very least hug him, but then Tony kind of freezes, hesitating, finally just smiles nervously and says “hey, welcome home.”

“Thanks,” Bucky says, smiling back and he’s already spoiled, wants Tony here to greet him everyday. There’s a bag still sitting beside the door, and Bucky kind of wants to ask if Tony is planning on setting up camp, but he's also terrified of finally saying the wrong thing and chasing Tony off. 

Luckily he doesn’t have to agonize for long, because Tony turns around and scoops up the bag, pulling out a giant Tupperware container and saying “spaghetti! I already ate some, it’s amazing, you’re lucky I saved you any, honestly.”

“So generous,” Bucky says, laughing softly, and he’s hungry enough that he really doesn’t care how it tastes as long as it’s edible. And as long as Tony sticks around to eat it with him.

“Also,” Tony continues, shoving the spaghetti away to dig through the bag again, “I had to stop by the corner store earlier, so I got you this!” Tony proudly produces a large chocolate bar, grinning wider when Bucky makes excited grabby hands at him. “Can’t let sweet old ladies show me up,” he adds with a wink, and Bucky nearly fumbles in the proceeds of opening his candy bar.

It’s dark chocolate, which is Bucky’s favorite, and he’s not sure if Tony actually knows that or if it’s just a lucky guess, but either way Bucky’s chest feels tight and warm. “This is way better than an old, lint-covered cough drop,” he assures Tony around a mouthful of chocolate, and Tony smiles wider. Then Bucky notices a suspiciously unmarked DVD case sticking out of the bag. “Hey, can I see that?” He asks, as innocently as he possibly can.

Tony _almost_ hands the case over, but then his eyes narrow and he pulls the entire bag close to his chest again. “You’re going to throw it, aren't you?” He demands, “you think if you throw my movie you’ll get out of watching it.”

“No...” Bucky says slowly, grinning, and then laughs when Tony starts huffing and shoving him into the door before Bucky even gets a chance to unlock it. 


	7. Things You Take a Chance On

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: Eternity, Escape, Europe

They end up sitting on the floor, pressed flush against each other and leaning back against the couch, eating spaghetti straight out of the container perched carefully between their laps. Tony is warm and comfortable against Bucky's side, smudge of sauce at the corner of his mouth. Bucky can't stop staring.

"I think you made this dialogue up," Bucky says suspiciously, dragging his eyes back to the TV to squint at the subtitles. “There's no way this movie is actually about time traveling earrings. That's why it looks like a bootleg. You took some other poor kung-fu movie and made it _this."_

"How dare you, sir?" Tony demands, looking not at all actually offended as he shoves more pasta into his mouth, "this is a very serious movie, about very serious magical accessories. How could you not be appreciating this right now?!"

"I'm just sayin’, if someone offered me earrings they described as _'deeply and horrifically cursed’,_ I would just _not take them,"_ Bucky says with a shrug, and uses Tony's moment of sputtering distraction to twirl himself up a huge bite of noodles without Tony trying to knock it off his fork, as has become their game.

"You just don't appreciate art!" Tony finally decides, shooting Bucky a betrayed look. "I'm taking my pasta, and I'm leaving," he adds with a huff, turning his nose up haughtily even though Bucky can _absolutely_ see the smile trying to break through his pout.

“Don’t you dare,” Bucky says, dropping his arm from where it’s stretched out along the couch to wrap around Tony’s shoulders instead, holding him in place as Tony laughs and tries to wiggle away. “Unhand the pasta!” He demands when Tony continues struggling, holding the container out of reach of Bucky’s fork.

“Never! People who don’t appreciate my movies don’t get to eat my pasta!” Tony says around peals of laughter, and when he starts trying his kick his way across the floor they both go tumbling sideways.

“You better not have spilled that,” Bucky says, voice muffled because he’s ended up with his face mashed against Tony’s chest and his heart in his throat.

“I... did not!” Tony says victoriously, but Bucky can’t help being suspicious of that slight pause. He doesn’t actually want to lift his head, partially because he’s sure his face is warm, and partially because Tony smells _amazing,_ Bucky can only assume he was also running around in the rain all day and how is that even _possible._

Finally Bucky lifts his head just enough to see that Tony has not, in fact, spilled spaghetti all over his floor. It’s a close thing though, a couple noodles hanging over the edge as Tony holds the container up in the air with one hand. “Alright,” Bucky allows, finally twisting his head to look up at Tony, “you live another day.”

“So kind, so forgiving,” Tony says with another little giggle and his free hand lands on Bucky’s shoulder, fingers twitching nervously like they’re not sure if they should settle or not. “Now move so I can eat all this pasta myself already.”

“Like hell,” Bucky grumbles and wiggles one arm free to make a grab for the container again, laughing when Tony shrieks and nearly throws the entire thing as they wrestle across the floor.

They manage to eat the rest of the pasta without spilling or flinging it, leaning against the couch again and trying to out-eat each other. By the time they finish Bucky’s stomach hurts a little, but his face _really_ hurts from how hard he’s smiling. Tony still has sauce at the corner of his mouth, or maybe it’s _new_ sauce, and Bucky’s thumb practically itches with the urge to wipe it away.

"So," Bucky says slowly as the credits begin to roll at a truly ridiculous speed, "was that really the end of this movie? The whole universe just _ends?”_

"And that's why you never mess with time travel," Tony says happily, slumping a little heavier against Bucky’s side, "no matter how fly the magical earrings make you look."

"That is the lesson, here," Bucky agrees, shaking his head and grinning a little, "I'll make sure to remember that." Tony looks up at him, lifting his head from where it’s been resting on Bucky’s shoulder for the past ten minutes, and before Bucky can even think he’s finally, _finally_ reaching out to swipe his thumb over the edge of Tony’s lips, lingering just a little longer than he strictly needs to.

Tony’s eyes go wide, and Bucky feels his own expression going shocked to match. His other arm is still around Tony’s shoulders, somehow, and Bucky hadn’t even _meant_ to do that-

“What are you doing tomorrow?” Tony blurts, cheeks going pink and not looking away even as the incredibly loud DVD menu comes back up.

“Working,” Bucky says with a little smile because that’s one thing he _never_ has to think about. He’s _always_ working, and for a split second Tony’s face starts to fall before it lights up again.

“Okay, but hear me out,” Tony says, turning towards him a little bit more and still not looking away. “Quit your job. We can run away! Watch terrible movies and eat cold pasta for the rest of eternity!”

“That’s your plan, huh?” Bucky asks, smile getting even wider and Tony is _so warm_ against him, pressed in _so close._ “Just run away together?”

"Yes,” Tony says seriously, eyes lighting up like he’s actually getting excited about the idea, “we can escape to Europe. Change our names. Start new lives as, I dunno, farmers or something."

"Wait, why do we need to change our names?” Bucky asks with a laugh, because how is he supposed to just let that go? “Are we committin’ some crime on the way?"

"I mean, we could,” Tony says with a careless grin and a tiny shrug, waving the arm that’s not squished between them, “the world is an oyster."

“Isn’t that supposed t’ be _our_ oyster?” Bucky asks and they’re so close now, Bucky can practically _taste_ Tony’s breath against his lips, spaghetti and coffee and _Tony._

“Like that makes any more sense,” Tony says with a scoff, rolling his eyes, and he so close, and he’s _so damn gorgeous-_

Bucky doesn’t think, doesn’t give himself the chance, all it takes is the slightest motion, he leans in just a little bit and he has Tony’s lips beneath his own. Tony gasps and almost instantly his hand is on the back of Bucky’s neck, fingers tangling in his hair, and then Tony is kissing him back, slow and sweet while the DVD menu rages on in the background.

“Okay but what are you doing _after_ work?” Tony asks when they finally break apart, looking a little dazed. His face is a brighter red than Bucky has ever seen it and his smile is so wide that his eyes practically glow with it. Bucky can see the constellations of freckles across his skin.

“Dunno, you got any suggestions?” Bucky asks, and laughs when Tony’s smile gets wider.


End file.
